Our preparations were few.
The two spears and about half of the provisions we strapped to
our backs--an inconsiderable load which would hamper us but
little. We discarded all our clothing, which was very little. I
took the heavy skin which Desiree had worn and began to strap it
also on top of my bundle, but she refused to allow it.
"I will not permit you to be handicapped with my modesty," she
observed.
Then, with Desiree between us, we stepped to the edge of the raft
and dived off together.
Driven as we were by necessity, we would have hesitated longer if
we had known the full force of the undercurrent that seized us
from beneath. Desiree would have disappeared without a struggle
if it had not been for the support which Harry and I rendered her
on either side.
But we kept on top--most of the time--and fought our way forward
by inches. The black walls frowning at us from either side
appeared to me to remain exactly the same, stationary, after a
long and desperate struggle; but when I gave a quick glance
behind I saw that we had pulled so far away from the raft that it
was no longer in sight. That gave me renewed strength, and,
shouting assurance to Harry and Desiree, I redoubled my efforts.
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